# K. Bapayya

Kovelamudi Bapayya is an Indian film director. He has directed about 80 films in Telugu and Hindi languages. He is the cousin of noted director K. Raghavendra Rao and nephew of director and producer K. S. Prakash Rao.

## Early life

Kovelamudi Bapayya was born in Hyderabad. He is also known as K. Bapayya. Bapayya lost both his parents at a very young age. He was raised by his paternal uncle K. S. Prakash Rao, who was a popular filmmaker. He is a first cousin of K. Raghavendra Rao, also a filmmaker. He also has two daughters, Padma and Chamundeswari. Bapayya studied in Vijayawada and Chennai.

## Career

Bapayya began his film career by working under K. B. Tilak as an apprentice for the films Muddu Bidda (1956), M. L. A. (1957), and Attaa Okinti Kodale (1958). He then worked for Suresh Productions with Tapi Chanakya for the production's debut film Ramudu Bheemudu in 1964.
Bapayya made his directorial debut in the Tollywood film industry with the feature film Drohi in 1970. He was given the offer to direct the film by producer D. Rama Naidu. The film had Vanisri and Kongara Jaggaya playing the lead characters. The film that truly earned Bapayya name and fame in the Telugu film industry was the drama feature film Soggadu (1975). The Telugu film hit the silver screens on 19 December 1975 and was released again on 1 January 1976. It starred Sobhan Babu, Jayachitra and Jayasudha In the lead roles. The movie won two Filmfare awards. The drama film ran in 17 cinema halls in the then united Andhra Pradesh for one hundred days.
Bapayya made his directorial debut in the Bollywood film industry with the Hindi movie Dildaar (1977). Dildaar was a remake of Bapayya's Soggadu. The Bollywood film hit the big screens on 13 April 1977. It starred Jeetendra, Rekha and Nazneen in lead roles. Bapayya remained active in the film industry till the mid 1990s. Towards the end of his career, Bapayya started focusing on making Bollywood films. One of his blockbusters from the 1990s was Pyar Hua Chori Chori (1991). The romance film hit the theatre halls on 7 June 1991. The film starred Mithun Chakraborty, Gautami, Shikha Swaroop, Shafi Inamdaari, Shakti Kapoor and Anupam Kher. It was Gautami's Hindi debut and a remake of the Malayalam flick Chithram.
He also directed Parda Hai Parda (1992) which is remembered as Chunkey Pandey's solo hit and South Indian actress Meena's debut in the Bollywood film industry. The movie hit the screens on 10 July 1992. Bapayya was known to collaborate with Jeetendra and Mithun Chakraborty in the Bollywood industry.

## Filmography

Film performances :
| Year | Title | Language | Cast | Notes |
| 1970 | Drohi | Telugu | Krishnam Raju, Jaggayya, Vanisree | |
| 1973 | Memu Manushulame | Telugu | Krishnam Raju, Jamuna | |
| 1974 | Urvasi | Telugu | Sanjeev Kumar, Sarada | |
| 1975 | Eduruleni Manishi | Telugu | N.T. Rama Rao, Vanisree | Remake of Johny Mera Naam |
| 1975 | Soggadu | Telugu | Sobhan Babu, Jayachitra, Jayasudha | |
| 1975 | Vykunthapaali | Telugu | Ranganath, Sarada | |
| 1976 | Mire ata Choodandi | Telugu | | |
| 1977 | Dildaar | Hindi | Jeetendra, Rekha | Remake of Soggadu |
| 1977 | Gadasu Pillodu | Telugu | Sobhan Babu, Jayasudha | |
| 1977 | Indradhanusu | Telugu | Krishna, Sharada | |
| 1978 | Dil Aur Deewaar | Hindi | Jeetendra, Moushumi Chatterjee, Rakesh Roshan | Remake of Jeevana Tarangalu |
| 1978 | Sahasavantudu | Telugu | N.T. Rama Rao, Vanisree | |
| 1978 | Yuga Purushudu | Telugu | N.T. Rama Rao, Jaya Prada | |
| 1979 | Mande Gundelu | Telugu | Krishna, Sobhan Babu, Jaya Prada, Jayasudha | |
| 1980 | Takkar | Hindi | Sanjeev Kumar, Jeetendra, Vinod Mehra, Zeenat Aman, Jaya Prada, Bindiya Goswami | Remake of Devudu Chesina Manushulu |
| 1980 | Bandish | Hindi | Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini | Remake of Chilipikrishnudu |
| 1981 | Aggi Ravva | Telugu | N.T. Rama Rao, Sridevi | |
| 1981 | Agni Poolu | Telugu | Krishnam Raju, Jaya Prada, Jayasudha | |
| 1981 | Guru Sishyulu | Telugu | ANR, Krishna, Sridevi, Sujatha | |
| 1982 | Kaliyuga Ramudu | Telugu | N.T. Rama Rao, Rati Agnihotri | |
| 1982 | Naa Desam | Telugu | N.T. Rama Rao, Jayasudha | Remake of Laawaris |
| 1982 | Nivuru Gappina Nippu | Telugu | Krishna, Jaya Prada | |
| 1982 | Sindoor Bane Jwala | Hindi | Sanjeev Kumar, Sharada | |
| 1983 | Mawaali | Hindi | Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada | Remake of Chuthallunarru Jagartha |
| 1983 | Mundadugu | Telugu | Sobhan Babu, Krishna, Jaya Prada, Sridevi | |
| 1984 | Daanavudu | Telugu | Sobhan Babu, Jayasudha | |
| 1984 | Dandayatra | Telugu | Sobhan Babu, Jayasudha | |
| 1984 | Ghar Ek Mandir | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty, Ranjeeta | Remake of Bommarillu |
| 1984 | Maqsad | Hindi | Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, Sridevi, Jaya Prada | Remake of Mundadugu |
| 1984 | Inti Guttu | Telugu | Chiranjeevi, Nalini | |
| 1984 | Seethamma Pelli | Telugu | Mohan Babu | Remake of Mullum Malarum |
| 1985 | Aaj Ka Daur | Hindi | Jackie Shroff, Padmini Kolhapure | |
| 1985 | Pataal Bhairavi | Hindi | Jeetendra, Jaya Prada | |
| 1985 | Chattamtho Poratam | Telugu | Chiranjeevi, Madhavi, Sumalatha | |
| 1986 | Jayam Manade | Telugu | Krishna, Sridevi | |
| 1986 | Aag Aur Shola | Hindi | Jeetendra, Sridevi, Mandakini | |
| 1986 | Ghar Sansar | Hindi | Jeetendra, Sridevi | |
| 1986 | Muddat | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty, Jaya Prada, Padmini Kolhapure | |
| 1986 | Swarag Se Sunder | Hindi | Jeetendra, Jaya Prada, Mithun Chakraborty, Padmini Kolhapure | |
| 1987 | Majaal | Hindi | Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada, | |
| 1987 | Himmat Aur Mehanat | Hindi | Jeetendra, Sridevi, Poonam Dhillon | |
| 1987 | Mard Ki Zabaan | Hindi | Dharmendra, Jackie Shroff, Poonam Dhillon, Kimi Katkar | |
| 1987 | Makutamleni Maharaju | Telugu | Krishna, Sridevi | |
| 1987 | Maa Voori Magadu | Telugu | Krishna, Sridevi | |
| 1988 | Pyar Ka Mandir | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty, Madhavi | |
| 1988 | Charnon Ki Saugandh | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty, Amrita Singh | |
| 1988 | Waqt Ki Awaz | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty, Sridevi | |
| 1988 | Sone Pe Suhaaga | Hindi | Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Anil Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon, Sridevi, Kimi Katkar | |
| 1989 | Sikka | Hindi | Dharmendra, Moushumi Chatterjee, Jackie Shroff, Dimple Kapadia | |
| 1990 | Izzatdaar | Hindi | Dilip Kumar, Govinda, Madhuri Dixit | |
| 1990 | Pyar Ka Karz | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty | |
| 1991 | Pyar Hua Chori Chori | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty, Gautami | Remake of Malayalam film Chithram |
| 1991 | Pyar Ka Devta | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty, Madhuri Dixit | |
| 1992 | Kasak | Hindi | Rishi Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, Neelam | Remake of Mouna Ragam |
| 1992 | Parda Hai Parda | Hindi | Chunky Pandey | Remake of Malayalam film In Harihar Nagar |
| 1995 | Diya Aur Toofan | Hindi | Mithun Chakraborty | |